As computer and computer networking technology has become less expensive and more widespread, more and more devices have started to incorporate digital “smart” functionalities. For example, controls and sensors capable of interfacing with a network may now be incorporated into devices such as appliances, security systems, light switches, and water valves, and other portions of building monitoring systems. Furthermore, it is possible for one or more central controllers to interface with the smart devices to facilitate monitoring, automation, and security applications for a building.
However, such systems may not be able to automatically detect and characterize various conditions associated with a building. For example, when sensors detect water in a basement of a building, such systems may not be able to automatically determine whether the water in the basement is due to an outside water main breaking and flooding the property, or whether a levee has been breached and the entire neighborhood is flooded. In another example, such monitoring systems may not be able to detect or sufficiently identify and describe damage that is hidden from human view, and that typically has to be characterized by explicit human physical exploration, such as damage between walls or in foundations, extent and range of electrical malfunctions, etc. Conventional systems further may not be able to formulate precise characterizations of loss without including unconscious biases, and may not be able to equally weight all historical data in determining loss mitigation factors.